Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer expressed his astonishment at the evolving batting standards in the Indian Premier League 2026 season, following yet another high-scoring encounter. His remarks came after Mumbai Indians (MI) pulled off a stunning chase of 229 with more than an over to spare, underlining the dramatic shift in what can be considered a safe total.
The ongoing season has witnessed a remarkable surge in scoring rates, with teams consistently breaching the 200-run mark and chasing down daunting totals with relative ease.
Speaking after the match, Langer admitted he was in awe of the fearless approach adopted by modern-day batters.
“I literally, as an ex-batter and an ex-warrior who loves batting and a coach for a long time, I cannot believe the batting I’m seeing at the moment. It is breathtaking. It is absolute,” Langer said in a post-match press confidence.
“Who would have thought, however many years ago you have run chasers like we’ve just seen today, or Nicky Pooran or Rickelton come – and we’re not even talking about the young kids. Raghuvanshi walked out today in his first IPL game and hit a six. If I’d played, it would have made my day, but I’d be so nervous I’d be blocking it,” he continued.
Despite the batter-dominated narrative, Langer was quick to acknowledge the efforts of bowlers who continue to compete under extreme conditions.
“I thought Prince Yadav today – I think he bowled three overs for 22, and his last one went for 10, I think – so they’re really good bowlers, they’re still going to hold their nerve. So, you know, that’s what we’re seeing,” he continued.
The former Australian international also revealed that the changing dynamics of the game have prompted LSG to rethink their strategies, particularly their batting order.
“I thought the whole restructure of our batting order was a positive. We’ve identified – last summer or last season – all our metrics where we were on top of everything with our batting, this year were right down the bottom, so we had to do something.”
Langer reserved special praise for Nicholas Pooran, whose impactful knock brought much-needed momentum to the side.
“Seeing Nicky Pooran bat like that and bring smiles to everyone’s faces – you could see how determined he was. And I actually turn up to every training session just to watch Nicky Pooran bat,” he concluded.
It has been a disappointing season for LSG, and they are on the brink of elimination after a loss to MI. They are currently at the 10th position at the points table, with just two wins in nine matches.
